Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Pours a mahogany hue with no head or lacing. Nose is amazing - toffee, butterscotch, brown sugar and booze. Taste consistent with nose with the addition of raisins, figs and a sugary quality. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body, but a bit thinner than anticipated, with an almost still carbonation. Overall, this is an amazing beer but it is super sweet. Best shared amongst many. (383 characters)

Smells of caramel, vanilla, oak, sweet booze, brown sugar, and toffee. Getting all that in the taste as well. Super rich, decadent, thick and viscous. Reminded me of a ramped up version of BB4D. So good. (207 characters)

just a splendid glass of ale here, a wonderful beer in this series, which has pushed big beers to their limit. its got a ton of bourbon character to it, even though its got some age on it, it also has a fresh malty fruitiness, an intense vanilla and booze intersection, and a dried fruit taste that includes cherry, date, and pear, at the very least. cocoa notes in with the sticky bread pudding character of the malt, a nice mix of red and roasty types, and the body is just as big as it has been in the others. even with the age, i dont think the flavors are quite as well integrated as they were in the bois, but its still maturing i am sure. the bourbon is a lot, less oak, more of the actual whiskey, which goes expertly with the malt profile built up here. the beer is very sweet, sweeter than i even remember sucre being, which limits the drinkability (as if we were going to slam this one right?), and it gets hot alcohol wise as it warms up even a little. its a sipper and a sharer, with as much viscosity as you can imagine. was a pleasure to be part of sharing this bottle, i would love to get the chance to try another one in a few years, see how it develops. the bruery is pacing the pack with the big barrel aged blends, this is further proof of that. (1,265 characters)

A clear brownish amber, a couple bubbles under a thin film, not much for lace but some wide legs going down the side

S vanilla, lots of sweet bourbon, a pile of brown sugar, a little wood, raisins, there's some booze but very well hidden all things considered, faint molasses, caramel galore, more vanilla and bourbon, more like a liqueur then beer but its working wonders for me

T thankfully it mimics the smell, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, its sweet but manageable, tastes as good as it smells

M thick and syrupy, a little heat but I'd never guess its over 15%, sticky on the lips and a sweet woody finish

O all the important parts are well taken care of, smells and tastes awesome, a little sweet and boozy but its a minor complaint

I'd lay this down for a decade if I had a bottle, drinking well now but this one will be something special down the road, I'm just happy I got to try it today, delicious stuff (1,012 characters)

If birthdays tastes this good, who need cake? Just bring me Fruet! To kick off their fourth year, this masterfully blended and perfectly aged ale celebrates all things "olde" but with a manly bourbon kick!

The beer decants more like port or sherry than it does of ale, but with the faint carbonation that allows a dainty creme of foam to simmer to the top, the ale's tarnish head looks more like espresso froth than beer also. Its tawny, auburn bronze body is dark through the center but lightens to a golden color at its edge. Mild speckling lace creeps down the glass with a turbulent swirl.

Strong aromas of malt sweetness take over the room as the beer pours- boisterous toffee, molasses, maple and bourbon waft about and does so in highly seductive fashion. Mildly toasty, the taste of buttery cashews, faint chocolate and coffee weave into the malt complexities for a robust character as well. Fruity with drunken grapes, dates, figs and plumbs all give a darker and more deviant turn as the ale seems savory with port and sherry as much as it does of bourbon.

That first sip captivates the taste buds with sultry sweetness- just as the nose suggested. Black-strap molasses, maple syrup, and seared toffee gives a taste that hinges on peanut brittle except for a more robust toast, cocoa and kona-type taste. As the fruits weave into its taste, so do the savory, umami-rich taste of dark, dried, stone fruit that seem to have been dipped in soy sauce. Lightly salty and sweet- it hits all the savory parts of the tongue. Finishing with the unmistakable taste of charred wood, vanillans and booze- its bourbon influence is obvious but never overwhelming.

And its decadent character continues as the ale lays a thick and somewhat oily coat on the mouth to fully saturate the taste buds. Its light carbonation aids its chewy texture as there's little to pull the beer from the surfaces of the mouth. This allows for a patient development toward finish with slowly growing alcohol warmth, a quietly drying taste, and an indefinite linger of sherry and bourbon.

Fruet is a special occasion beer that'll rival the best of port wine or sherry. Its lavish malt flavors work harmoniously with the bourbon barrel influences for a highly rewarding taste that's not easily forgotten. (2,282 characters)

Buried under a force-field of mustard yellow wax – once I dug the cap out and start dumping, Fruet makes its dramatic appearance. Muddy garnet body and lightly carbonated. Aromatics are complex with heavy notes of sweet raisins and prunes and brown sugar. Bourbon comes through more in the flavor, but still is not overpowering. The sweetness is a bit much but it’s hard to not be mesmerized by the layers of dark fruit, bourbon, molasses and toffee. (486 characters)

M: Medium to full bodied. Low carbonation and smooth. It's surprisingly light on the tongue for an almost 16% beer. Definitely get the alcohol burn. The alcohol adds to the overall savory sweetness of the beer.

Overall a great old ale. It actually reminded me a lot of Avery's Rumpkin. (572 characters)

Bought this beer in Livermore, CA from a reputable beer store that increases it's prices as their geeky beers age. For example, since I bought this Fruet 2 weeks ago, I was charged $40 opposed to $30 when it first hit shelves. Whatever.

Popped this bitch open tonight to celebrate finding out into my wife's 5th month of pregnancy that I'm having a Girl!!! And it's Thanksgiving...

T - See Smell. Never had a more raisiny Old Ale soaked in Bourbon including Alcohol heat. Less Alcohol heat than expected for 15.5% ABV, but make no misrake about it, it's there. A little cloyingly sweet with too much raisin flavor IMHO, even for a Old Ale.

M - best aspect of this beer. Thick, but not syrupy. Full bodied, but very drinkable for the ABV. Impressive!!

O - I can't help but to compare this to BOIS. BOIS is everything Fruet is, but add chocolate, Almond, & more bourbon barrel. BOIS is worth the $30, whereas Fruet I feel is worth $18-$20 TOPPS. Great beer for the occasion, and I'm so happy to say I've had it, but I can't help to feel I've been ripped off some, but hey. I was willing to pull the trigger at the heafty Price tag. For the record, I did not factor at all the price into my score here for Fruet.

A- pours a caramel brown with a light tan head. S- smells of chocolate and vanilla. almost like the bruery white chocolate they produce. T- Chocolate vanilla greatness. this beer is very complex between the barrel aging and everything else. a year definately did this beer good. M- thick like a thin syrup. coats the mouth evenly and has a nice carbonationto it. O- this beer is AMAZEBALLS with a year on it. (412 characters)

Beer is a deep brown. Almost no head, which is perhaps not surprising given the ABV.

Nose strongly contains bourbon. Vanilla, oak. Also a bunch of caramel and some dark fruit. The barrel is the dominant part of the nose, but it is quite nice.

Taste is fairly hot. A lot of oak, bourbon and vanilla. Then beneath that a strong malty flavour, caramel and toffee. Some dark fruit as well, but less prominent- a bit of raisin and plum. Hugely rich with big flavours. Really packs a wallop.

Full bodied, moderate carbonation. Oily and slick. Quite a lot of alcohol heat.

Overall, the beer tastes terrific, but the abv is very high and the barrel is a bit overpowering. Really nice, but to be approached with care! (733 characters)

Presentation: 750 ml brown gold waxed and capped brown bottle. Label with an intricate Bruery emblem in gold, ocher, and brown. It offers a small description of the brew, and anniversary context, with thanks to supporters. Back label has cellaring, and serving notes. Shows bottling year (2012), bottle number (01151), and Alc. by. Vol. (15.5%). Served in a snifter.

A - Deep dark brown pour with deep burgundy edges, fair if short lived head, faint surface memory with a small memory ring and little lacing.

M - Full body, with medium/light carbonation, creamy with some stickiness… It lingers long in the palate.

O - Long complex sipper, it is great on a small dose, and might get a bit overwhelming/tiring in a larger dose. Still quite a treat...

Notes: This might be the best of their anniversary brews that I've tried so far, or might be in a year or two. Coton hit my spot right away and is now a memory. Cuir was nice but I felt it was asking for time, we'll see how that one ages. Fruet has almost the immediate complexity and roundness. It could do with a bit of more time but it is quite memorable if pricey. (1,437 characters)

Hazy, crimson-mahogany appearance. A thin film of spotty, light tan bubbles capped the liquid. The bubbles quickly dissipated to a ring of froth.

The aroma was amazingly complex and intense. Super sweet with loads of brown sugar and dark fruit goodness. Plums and raisins came through strong. Punchy, port-like notes as well. Lots of coconut and vanilla from the bourbon barrels. You could tell that this is a high ABV beer, yet it did not come across as overly boozy. Overall, amazingly well balanced.

The taste was nearly identical to the nose, except perhaps a hair more subtle. Sweet caramel malts and coconut hit hard right off the bat. Rich and plummy with notes of port soaked raisins, toffee and brown sugar. Somewhat spicy. Tons of vanilla on the finish. There was a subtle booziness as well. At 15.5% ABV, the bourbon barrels contributed many interesting flavors but not a lot of heat.

The body was a bit disappointing. It was thinner bodied with a very fine and mild carbonation. The liquid almost felt a touch flat.

All in all, The Bruery came through big time with this fourth anniversary ale. Like many other of their high ABV releases, this one was huge on flavor but managed to subdue its alcohol prowess remarkably well. It definitely was worth the steep ($35) price of admission. (1,443 characters)

Taste: Booze-laden Bourbon, bringing a range of flavors, including caramel, plum, maple, vanilla, cashews and piney hops; after the swallow, there is a brief alcohol burn, with all of the flavors noted up front re-appearing in the finish

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: I have had mixed experiences with some of the Bruery's high ABV offerings but this one is the real McCoy; lots of complexity and a very impressive mouthfeel (some of the earlier Bruery efforts were flat)

750ml bottle 15,5% Abv. Served lightly chilled in a snifter. Bottle Number 12936

100% BA Cuir was one of my all time favorite beers, so I am really looking forward to this one!

Appearance: Similarly to Cuir, Fruet appears a dark brown in the glass, with a back light revealing a beautiful deep red colour with bright golden-amber edges. A rough pour generates a large cream coloured head that lasts reasonably well for the Abv, but doesn’t leave anything in the way of lacing. A swirl coats the glass in a sticky film and heavy alcohol legs.

Smell: Oh man, this smells phenomenal! The initial nose offers a ton of sweetness and a fantastic soft vanilla bourbon character. As the beer begins to warm the nose opens up offering sweet caramel, toffee butterscotch, soft vanilla, toasted coconut, brown sugar, rich dark fruits ( dark cherries, raisins and even some fig), earthy leather, a little oak, some molasses and some toasted nutty notes. The alcohol is shockingly well hidden for 15,5% - even at room temperature there is only a trace noted.

Mouthfeel: As the rest of the beer, the mouthfeel is just about perfect. The body is just shy of full and wonderfully sticky, with a medium level of creamy carbonation.

Overall: Fruet is a fantastic barrel-aged old ale. I am so glad The Bruery decided to age the entire batch in bourbon barrels - the extra 75% makes a world of difference! It is going to be an exercise in self control to age my other bottle for a few years as I plan to do! (1,866 characters)

Poured into a Due South Brewing Co. Snifter. Anniversary 2012, Bottle Number 10714

A- Pours a murky medium brown color with a 1/4 inch dark tan head that's short-lived and quickly dies down to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and minimal surface foam. Just about no lacing.

S- Rich chocolate, caramel and barrel notes with some booze fume. Also some raisin.

T- Heavy raisin flavor that's very sweet with chocolate and caramel undertones. It's almost like the flavor is the inverse of the aroma. Also has some sherry, vanilla and brown sugar notes. The oak isn't as apparent as it is in the aroma, but it's still there. Alcohol is insanely well-hidden for such a mammoth of a beer. Slightly nutty.

M- Very sticky, sytupy and somewhat sharp from the alcohol. Barely any carbonation and a full body.

O- The flavor of this beer is phenomenal. If you're a fan of Old Ales, high gravity beers or both, this is a must-have. (929 characters)

Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a teku glass. I believe this has about 1 year of age on it.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown and leaves behind a finger of tan head which disappears pretty quickly.

Smell: Strong, sweet chocolate and bourbon, vanilla, and molasses - even the smell packs a punch, I can only imagine the taste.

Taste: Definitely bourbon and chocolate up front, as well as some fruits such as peach, pear and apples - a very interesting combination. Raisins and plums come out quite strong as well in this one. Finishes very sweet as well, with more bourbon.

Mouth-feel: Heavy bodied and very creamy and syrupy/sticky. Light carbonation but there is some there. I wouldn't peg this one as high as 15.5% so the alcohol is well hidden.

Overall: A very tasty barrel-aged ale. The bourbon shines in this one as well as the sweet chocolate, vanilla and fruit flavors. While it does have some of the familiar characteristics from your standard barrel-aged imperial stout, it has some stark differences, especially in the second half of the flavor with its lighter/fruitier flavors and its super sweetness. This is a fantastic, biig beer and has tons of flavor screaming at you. (1,194 characters)